Banjo vibrator



Patented July 1, 1930 I I v I v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mania A. DECKER, or. s'roc'x'ron, cannons BANJO vrmmron Application filed llovember 2t), 1928. s crial'flo. 320,571.

This invention relates to stringed instrunumeral ldenotes the cylindrical tone chamments and particularlgto a device for vibratberof the banjo on the lower end of which ing the strings of a aujo and which is esis secured the tail-piece structure 2 of any peciallyof value in producin different sound standard form, which is supported as usual 1. efl'jects when the banjo is used in solo work. by a bolt 3 mounted in a block 4 projecting 55 The principal object of my invention is to outwardly from the chamber. The strings 5 ravine a device for the purpose adapted to are attached'at oneend to the tail-piece and be actuated by the same hand-employed to then extend from said tail-piece over the manipulate or strike the strings, and which bridge 6 which is mounted on the head 7 said 34 is so constructed and arranged that the strings from the tail-piece to the bridge being 60 strings will be caused to vibrate in unison. in clearance relation tothe head. i and without bein muted and so that the My vibrator attachment which is applied vibrations take p ace on-oboth sides ofthe to such s tandard arrangementofparts compitch, thereby causing the vibratory sounds to prises a rigid franiewhich consists of apair retain the proper full tones of the instru of inverted L-shaped arms 8 having trans- (-5 me'n't. 3 verselyshapedhorizontal portions extending A further object is to'arran'fie the actuat over the head toward the bridge and dis-. ingj member of the device so t at it may be posed parallel to thestrings to the sides of the thrown back out of the way: when its use is: same; and a cross bar 9 connecting the outer not' desired, without actually removing said lower ends of the arms and secured to the H device from'the instrument, and without aftail-piece structure by suitable means. The fec'tiri'g' the pitch to. which the instrument was horizontal portions of the arms serve as sup previously tuned. ports'for a pair of transverse pins 10 and 11, ,Ariotherobject is to construct the device in s )aced lengthwise of the arms and disposed the form of an attachment which may be; al) I readilyapplied'to any standard banjo. 7 thereof. The pin 10 serves as a hinge or A furtherobject of the invention is to pro pivot support for a plate 12 whichextends duce'asim'ple'and inex' ensive deviceand yet from saidpin toward the bridge and rests one'w'hich will be excee ingly efiective for the adjacent its forward end on allthe strings pul'f' se', for whichit is designed. simultaneously. The pin 11 forms the hinge i objects I accomplish by means of or pivot for the actuatingplate 13, which such structure and relative arrangement of extends over the forward portion of the plate parts fas will fully appear by a perusal of 12 to atermination some distance in front of thefollowing.specificat on and claims. the same but short of the bridge. This plate In the'drawings-similar characters of refis of stiff spring metal and adjacent its erenceindica'te corresponding. parts in the hinged end is formed witha flat angular bend severalview's. i p as shown at 14, The included angle of this Fi'f. I is a fragmentary perspective view bend'faces uppermost when the plate is in of 'a' fiaiijoshowing my vibrating attachment. said above" named or operative position, so

mounted in operative position thereon. that the forward portion of the plate has an 5g. 2' is a longitudinal section of the at- 1 upward slant relative to the plate 12 and at tachiiieiit showing the actuatingmeinber in the peak of the bend bears against said plate itsbperative but slack position. I V 12 for the full width thereof.

Fig; isj'a similar-view showing. the actu- By means of this arrangement therefore 46 ating "amber-in a full-y'depressed position. it 'will beseen-thatdownward vibrations im- Fig. 4 is asimilar view showingrtheactuparted to the actuatingplate by the hand of atin'g member as'thrown back and out of the the" o 'jerator will;cause the strings to be alwa Q ternatel'y: tightened andslacked, thus of deterring new more particularly to the -cou rs'e T imparting vibration to said strings characters "ef'rfere'ne' onth'e drawings, the with thed esired tone efiects. The under plate ove the-strings at rightangles to the length o prevent damage to the strings which it otherwise be had if they were directly ged by the relatively sharp edge of the l of the actuating plate.

sleeve 15 which is formed with the A: and which turns on the pin 11 is d with a raised cam portion C so povlllOliGtl as to engage and depress the plate i ll y (thereby causing the strings to epressed and tightened) only when is swung away from its forward face toward the tail-piece and is as: far as possible in thatposition, i in Fig. i. The strings are tuned ed pitch when the plates are in osition, so that when the late 13 is forwardly to an operative int a slack the strings will be slacked somewhat a nd the tone correspondingly flat. This fit however overcome when the ins nnent is then placed by the normal pressure of the hand of the player on the actuating plate, which causes the strings to be ded and tightened sufiiciently to restore ion to that at which the proper tunh obtained. The advantage of havrelatively slack when the acis released from any pressure hen said plate is alternately deseed and released by the vibratory movet of the hand at the same time the strings 1 being s ruck; the resulting vertical vibrations tln 5 imparted to the springs take place both sides of the actual pitch of said .0 that the vibratory sounds have the per tone of the instrument. I

t is also to be noted that the cam C, when ate 13 depressed toward the tail-piece possible. as shown in Fig. 4, besides ie plate 12 as previously stated, 4 L a dead-center position with ret to the position of said plate 13. The

is therefore held against undesired reactive movement or in such a manner that 'on of the strings cannot act to release tne cam and swing the plate forwardly.

F1 an the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the in. ention as set forth herein.

While; this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device. still in practice such deviations may be resorted to as do not form a de arture t; in the spirit of the invention, as de ned by the :"u ended claims.

g thus described my invention what s new and useful and desire to secure 1 Letters Patent is:

l. A. device for vibrating banjo strings c-tt-nip ising a depressible plate to engage all the i of the instrument simultaneously at a porn between the tail-piece and brid e of the instrument. means for supporting said at one end in connection with the instrument, a separate actuating plate swivelly supported in superimposed relation to the first named plate and adapted at a certain point only in its length to be engaged with said first named plate.

2. A device for vibrating banjo strings comprising rigid arms to extend to the sides of and above the plane of the strings from the tail-piece end thereof toward the bridge, means for mounting said arms in rigid position, a plate swivelly supported between the arms and resting on all the strings simultaneously. and a separate actuating plate swivelly supported between the arms in superimposed relation to the first named plate and adapted to extend beyond. the forward end of the same and toward the bridge of the instrument; said actuating plate being formed intermediate its ends with a bend. the angle of which, when the plate is in said above named position, faces upwardly and so that the for ward portions of the plate has an upward slope relative to the strings. the bend being so located as to engage the plate below intermediate the ends. I

3. A device for vibrating banjo strings comprising a depressible plate to engage all the strings of the instrument simultanemisl at a point between the tail-piece and bridge of the instrument, means for supporting said plate at one end in connection with the instrument, a separate actuating plate swivelly supported in superimposed relation to the first named plate and adapted to be swung either forward to face to ard the bridge of the instrument and to then engage the plate below, or in the opposite direction to face the tail-piece of the instrument.

4. A device for vibrating banjo strings comprising a depressible plate to engage all the strings of the instrument simultaneously at a point between the tail-piece and bridge of the instrument, means for supporting said plate at one end in connection with the instrument, a separate actuating plate swivelly supported in superimposed relation to the first named plate and adapted to be swung either forward to face toward the bridge of the instrument and to then engage the plate below, or in the opposite direction to face the tailpiece of the instrument, and means provided with said actuating plate for causing the first named plate to be depressed to a predetermined extent when the actuating plate is in said last named position.

5. A device for vibrating banjo strings comprising rigid arms to extend to the sides of and above the plane of the strings from the tail'piece end thereof toward the bridge, means for mounting said arms in rigid position, a pair of pins extending between and supported by the arms above the strings and spaced apart longitudinally of the arms, a plate mounted at one end on the pin nearest the tail-piece of the instrument and project- Ill] 6. A device for vibrating banjo strings comprising ri 'd arms to extend to the sides of and above t e plane of the strin from the tail-piece end thereof toward t e bridge, means for mounting said arms in rigidposition, pins extending between and supported by the arms above the strings and spaced apart longitudinall of the arms, a plate mounted at one en on the pin nearest the tail-piece of the instrument and projecting toward the bridge thereof, said plate resting on the strings, and an actuating plateturnably mounted on the other pin and adapted to be swung to project toward the bridge and to then engage the first'named plate, or to be swung in the o posite direction to project toward the tai -piece; and a cam member formed with the actuating plate at its axis of tiirning for then depressing the first named p ate.

7. A structure as in claim 6, in which said cam member also serves to hold the actuating plate yieldably locked against forwar swinging movement.

8. A device for vibrating banjo strings including an actuating plate, means swivelly supporting said plate from the instrument to enable the plate to be'swung from a position facing the bridge of the instrument to one facing the tailiece thereof, means enabling a depression 0 said late when in its first named position to vi rate the strings, and means functioning with the swinging movement of the actuating plate from its first named to its second named position to cause said firstnamed means to automaticall increase the tension of the strings to a pre etermined extent above the tension had when the actuating plate is in its first named and undepressed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARLAND A. DECKER. 

